Rapids Tie FC Dallas 0-0 in Home Opener

June 27, 2010

Denver CO (Colorado Rapids Media Relations)- The Colorado Rapids extended their undefeated streak at INVESCO Field at Mile High to eleven games tonight with a 0-0 draw against FC Dallas in the Black and Blue’s 2005 Home Opener.

The first scoring opportunity of the night came just in the second minute of the game when Dallas's Eddie Johnson received a corner kick from Carlos Ruiz and one-timed it off of the crossbar. The Rapids had their own chance for a corner kick one minute later but Mark Chung's effort was cleared by Dallas’s defense.

Wolde Harris had the second scoring opportunity for the Rapids when he was fed a ball over the top from Kyle Beckerman but Dallas's Philip Salyer cleared the ball before the Jamaican International was able to get his shot on goal from five yards out.

The best chance of the half for the Rapids came in the 39th minute as a through ball from Luchi Gonzalez found a streaking Wolde Harris down the left side of the field. Dallas goalkeeper Scott Garlick was well-positioned however and was able to parry Harris' hard shot to the right side of the box where only Dallas defenders waited. The first half ended with no further chances for either side.

An audacious forty-yard shot in the 50th minute from Ronnie O'Brien nearly caught Rapids goalkeeper Joe Cannon by surprise but he was able to quickly move to his left for the save.

The Rapids made their second substitution in the 55th minute as Leo Cullen entered the game for Kyle Beckerman. Just after the substitution a cross from Gonzalez was headed strongly by Mark Chung but Garlick made a great diving save to rob Chung of the goal.

Yet another dangerous chance came for the Rapids from Hunter Freeman streaking down the right wing in the 73rd minute. Chung again got a great shot off as a result of the cross but Garlick again was able to push the ball safely across the box. Soon after Eric Denton created one more dangerous chance from the left wing for the Rapids but no one in the box could convert his service.

The Johnson-Ruiz strike partnership continued to look dangerous for Dallas in the second half. In the 78th minute a Johnson cross found Ruiz at the top of the goal box but his flicked header went just wide of the post.

Freeman sent yet another fine cross into the Dallas box only inches from the head of a diving Henderson in the 86th minute as the Rapids increased the tempo of their attack in the waning minutes.

After three minutes of stoppage time filled with midfield battling the game ended in a scoreless tie.